After Paul Ryan’s budget compromise passed the House with overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats, many Senate conservatives concentrated their efforts on an all-out fight to block the bill.

While identifying plenty of shortcomings in the bipartisan legislation, these die-hard critics never identified how defeating the budget would advance conservative principles or enhance Republican prospects—especially with another government shutdown looming within a month. If they had killed the compromise, then what? How does more gridlock mean success?

Unfortunately, some members of the GOP have become so accustomed to their status as a minority party that they associate victory with defeating proposals that they don’t like, rather than with passing proposals that they do. In the long-run, Republicans will only win if they focus their energies on bettering America, not just battering the Democrats.